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PROCT, SAMUEL. 



PRUDENriUS. AUREL1US. 



j 



puntingi of Protogene* mentioned by Pliny was a portnit of the 

 Bother of Aristotle, who advised him to paint tome of the exploit* of 

 Alexander the Cri-.it Painting* of Alexander and of Pan were among 

 the lut of hi work*. Pauunias (i. 8, 4) a]*o mentions a painting of 

 the Tbenmothete by Protogenes, which WM preferred at Athens in 

 the senate-house of the Fire Hundred. 



Protogenei U always mentioned by the ancient writers in terms of 

 the highest admiration. (I'etrou., ' Sat,' c. 83 ; Cic., ' Brut,' 18 ; 'Ad 

 Alt,' ii. 21 ; Varro, De Ling. Lt,' ix. 12, ed. MUller; Columbia, 'De 

 Re Rut;' Pnef. in lib. L, p. 21, Bipout.) lie is said by Plioy to have 

 also executed works in bronze. 



Suidas cays that Protogenes wrote two books on the art of painting 

 and on figure*. 



PROUT, SAMUEL, was born on the 17th of September 1783 in 

 Plymouth the birthplace of so many English painters. From earliest 

 childhood he was noted for an irrepressible fondness for drawing the 

 various object* around him,* and the pateion increased with his years. 

 Hi* associate in his early artistic studies was Benjamin Haydon, but 

 instead of yielding to the eager impulses after an unattainable grandeur 

 of his enthusiastic friend, young Prout contented himself with unceos- 

 incly sketching from nature " the ivy-mantled bridges, mossy water- 

 mills, and rock-built cottages, which characterise the volley scenery of 

 Devon." Whilst uncertain as to his future course, he had the good 

 fortune to be introduced to Mr. John Britton, the antiquary, then at 

 Plymouth on his way to collect material" for an account of Cornwall 

 which ho was preparing for the ' Beauties of England.' [Biurrox, 

 JOHN.] Mr. Britton, pleased with his sketches, proposed that he 

 should accompany him into Cornwall to make some drawings, and 

 Prout gladly accepted the offer. The portfolio of Cornish drawings 

 which he afUrwaids transmitted to Mr. Britton excited by their bold- 

 ness of style considerable notice, aud the young artist 'was cosily 

 persuaded to remove to London. 



He arrived in the metropolis in 1S05, and found an adviser and 

 patron in Falser the printseller, then residing in the Westminster road 

 and afterwards in Fleet street, who used readily to purchase his water- 

 colour drawings, and dispose of them among his customers. Polser 

 gave but low prices for these works, but Prout had the good sense, on 

 comparing his | icturcs with those of the established artists, to recog- 

 niie his own deficiencies ; and he was well pleated to be thus enabled, 

 by means of unambitious drawings, to support himself whilst making 

 a resolute effort to extend his artistic knowledge and executive skill. 

 During these years he painted marine views, especially coast-scenes 

 with fishing craft, more than architecture, fur which n very decided 

 inclination had not yet developed itself, lie al>o devoted a good deal 

 of time to teaching, and he etched some lessons and studies for the 

 use of teachers and pupils ; but perceiving the capabilities of the 

 newly-introduced art of lithography for yielding fao-siuiiles of the 

 painter's pencil sketches, he began early to draw on stone, which, from 

 his singular skill in the use of the lead-pencil, he did with gnat 

 facility. He published in 1810 a series of ' Studies ' which met with 

 great euccesa, and was followed by < Views in the North aud Wist of 

 England,' ' Progressive Lessons,' ' Rudiments of Landscape,' and other 

 drawing-books, which by their vigour of drawing and brilliancy of 

 effect raisi-d that class of publication far above the estimation in which 

 it bail been previously held, and did much to extend the reputation 

 of the artist 



Mr. Prout had already secured a high position when he was led in 

 1818 partly in the hope of restoring his health, which had become 

 much enfeebled, but also with a view to turning to professional account 

 the tatte for foreign scenery engendered by the facilities for continental 

 travel opened by the return of peace to make a tour in France. The 

 quaint street-architecture of Rouen, and the civic aud ecclesiastical 

 structures of other Norman towns, seemed to reveal in him on entirely 

 Dew senre. From this time he gave himself, with undivided zeal and 

 unapproached success, to the delineation of the weathern-worn and 

 mouldering remains of medueval architecture. Tear after year he 

 continued to journey through the fairest part* of Franco and Switzer- 

 land, of Germany and Italy ; but still it was the old southern or 

 northern gothic buildings that attracted hi* pencil, or those tumble- 

 down heavy-gabled domestic house* which, though hardly ranking 

 among any of the architectural divisions, had in hi* eyes an equal 

 attraction in their antique pictures-queues*. The remarkable popularity 

 of his pictures induced him to publish a handsome folio of lithographic 

 ' Fc Similes of Sketches made in Flanders and Germany.' This was 

 the fint of the numerous serirs of lithographic copies of painters' 

 finish' d sketches which have added so greatly to the enjoyment of all 

 lover* of art, and done so much toward* the extension of a sounder 

 taste ; and notwithstanding the many beautiful volumes which have 

 since appeared it remains in many respect* the brat the most marked 

 by a vigorous sketch-like simplicity of means and fidelity, and a happy 

 boldness and playfulness of execution, combined with sinking origin- 

 ality and brilliancy of effect Mr. Prout subsequently published a 

 Tie* of Sketches in France, Switzerland, and Italy,' foL, 1839, more 

 lini-hed in style, bat scarcely so Brilliant or interesting as the former 

 cries. Besides these he published various work* intended to facilitate 

 the propms of the itndent in art. Of throe the first was entitled 

 ' lliut im Light and Shade, Composition, Ac., as applicable to Land- 

 eape Painting,' foL, 1 838, in which he explains very clearly, by precept 



and example, the principles which regulated hi* own practice : another 

 and extended edition wa* published several year* later. He also 



Landscape Annual,' and for some other works. 



During all this time, aud to his death, Mr. Prout continued to be 

 one of the most prolific contributors to the annual exhibitions of the 

 Society of Painters in Water-Colours, where his pictures never failed 

 to form a prime attraction. Yet, many and beautiful as were his 

 works, they were produced amid much suffering. When a child of 

 four or five years old, having wandered into the fields alone, he was 

 found lying under a hedge insensible from the effect* of a Bun-stroke, 

 and from that day forward he was subject to the frequent recurrence 

 of sudden attacks of pain in the head; to this was added injurica 

 received from protracted exposure to damp and cold in his earlier 

 sketching excursions ; so that, till towards the close of his life, as is 

 mentioned in a memoir of him by Mr. Ru-kin, from materials furnished 

 by Prout himself (' Art-Journal ' for 1849, p. 76), " not a week passed 

 without one or two days of absolute confinement to his room or to his 

 bed." Ho died on the 10th of February 1852. 



Samuel Prout was undoubtedly one of the greatest and most original 

 of our old school of painters in water-colours. His style was entirely 

 self-formed, and singularly effective. To a great extent it waa con- 

 ventional ; but it was the result of prolonged working from the actual 

 object', and it therefore forcibly conveyed the artist's own ides, Hi- 

 drawing was very uncertain and confined : to the last he remained 

 utterly incapable of drawing a tree, or representing foliage with the 

 least approach to natural truth. His colouring was unequal, but ofteu 

 very beautiful and harmonious. He painted, with rare exceptions, 

 wholly by washes of transparent colours, the outlines and details 

 being made out by the skilful use of the reed-pen, with a few dexterous 

 touches of which he produced effects never equalled by any ot!i> r 

 manipulator. His chiaroscuro was broad, simple, and so nicely adapted 

 as always to have a true and natural appearance, which was greatly 

 aided by the singularly clever introduction and arrangement of his 

 figures, ill-drawn as these often were. In a word, Prout may fairly 

 be regarded as the founder of a new school of architectural painting. 

 He fir.-t showed what a world of picturesque capability lay in the quaint 

 streets and market-places of Normandy, Flanders, and Germany, aud 

 the grander palaces of Venice ; and no less did he show how to render 

 the broad feature* and deep sentiment of the old ecclesiastical gothic, 

 without bciui; lost in a multitude of petty details. 



PROUT, WILLIAM, distinguished as a chemist and physician. He 

 was brought up to the medical profession, and took his degree of 

 Doctor of Medicine at the University of Edinburgh. On establishing 

 himself in London he connected himself with the Royal College of 

 Physicians, of which body he ultimately became a Fellow. He early 

 directed his attention to chemistry, and was amongst the first in this 

 country to attempt to apply this science to the explanation of the 

 phenomena of life, and he published many papers in reference thereto 

 in the ' Philosophical Transactions.' All his researches and disc, 

 on this subject were combined in a great work eutitled ' On the nature 

 and treatment of Stomach and Renal Diseases, being an inquiry into 

 the connection of Diabetes, Calculus, and other affections of the 

 Kidneys and Bladder with Indigestion.' However brilliant the disco- 

 veries which have been made subsequently to the publication of thi* 

 work, there can be no doubt that Dr. Prout had correctly appreciated 

 the importance of chemistry in explaining the functions of living 

 beings, and that he was the first physician who Bought to apply the 

 doctrines of modern chemistry to the explanation of the phenomena of 

 disease. He was an exceedingly careful and accurate experimenter, 

 and with regard to some of his conclusions which were at oue time 

 brought into doubt, a more careful investigation has continued the 

 truth of his views. 



Dr. Prout waa one of the gentlemen chosen to write the ' Bridgewater 

 Treatises.' The subject of his essay was ' Chemistry, Meteorology, 

 and the Function of Digestion considered with reference to Natural 

 Theology.' This work abounds with evidence of his profound know- 

 ledge of the laws of chemistry. Although principally occupied with 

 chemistry in relation to his profession, he took an interest in all 

 rcienccs which the discoveries iu his favourite science affected. He was 

 one of the first to analyse the so-called Coprolites, and to discover the 

 large quantity of phosphate of lime they contained. This ho did in a 

 paper published in the third volume of the ' Transactions' of the 

 Geological Society. The paper was entitled ' On the Analysis of the 

 Fossil faeces of Icthyosaurus and other Animals.' Dr. Trout was a 

 Follow of the Royal Society, and many other Karued societies. He 

 died at his house in Sackvillc-street, London, on the Uth of April 

 18SO, in the sixty-fourth year of his age. Ho was a man of exceed- 

 ingly retiring habit*, and greatly respected by those who knew him 

 intimately. 



ritl DK'XTIUS, AURK'Lirs, was born in Spain, A.D. 348. He 

 followed tho profession of the law, and wus employed iu some official 

 situation in bin native country under the reigu of Honorius. About 

 the year 407 he repaired to Komc, partly on busin< on, and partly, it 

 seems, from religious motives. He afterwards returned to 

 where he spent the rest of his life iu pious prncti'.-cs aud studious 



